


To See the Sun Again

by ABrandNewTomorrow



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-02
Updated: 2017-10-01
Packaged: 2018-05-04 15:18:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5338904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ABrandNewTomorrow/pseuds/ABrandNewTomorrow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>3 years after stumbling across a family much like her own, Julia Villatorro and the rest of her family are leaving Forks, Washington for Alaska to take over the territory the Denali coven is vacating. Normally a move such as this one wouldn't be so difficult, but with Julia's unique ability, threat of the volturi is always imminent.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Saying Goodbye.

We’ve been here too long. Mary is already trying to pass for thirty-two, when she barely looks older than twenty-five.Richard can barely pass for his actual age of thirty-six. We’ve been pushing our luck and now we have to leave. It shouldn’t be this hard, but it is. We weren’t even supposed to stop here in the first place.

I stare blindly out the floor-to-ceiling windows that make up the back wall of the Cullens' house, listening to the banging of car doors and the quiet shuffle of feet on cobblestone. I watch the leaves of the trees brush against each other, caught in the constant wind that stirs up the damp air of Forks, Washington. I’m going to miss it here.

Nearly, but not quite silent feet approach me, accompanied by a high-paced hummingbird fluttering that is the sound of Renesmee’s heart.

“The cars are loaded.” She speaks quietly. Her voice chimes in my mind like bells as her face appears next to mine in the glass reflection. I sigh.

“I guess this is it then.” I say, turning to her. She’s grown so much since we’ve been here, looking more and more like her father each day. That’s good. It means that when the Cullens make their next move, she can call herself Edward’s sister. It will make things easier.

“I wish you could stay.” She says, lifting her hand to my cheek. A series of images flood my mind, memories, her memories. _The first day we arrived, the way Jacob stood protectively in front of her, shielding her seemingly twelve-year-old form from our view. “What is this?” He’d demanded angrily. “Easy there, pet. They’re like us, they understand” it had been Emmett who’d answered._ The next scene was from a few months later. I sat on the floor by the couch in the Cullen’s vast living room, Nessie pulling her fingers through my cornsilk hair. _Nessie sighed. “I wish I was blonde.” “No you don’t,” I answered, turning my head to meet her chocolate brown eyes “You have beautiful curls. I always wanted curls.”_ The third was from just a few months ago. _We were in a dressing room in Seattle, awaiting the return of Alice. We stood shoulder to shoulder in the full length mirror, measuring Nessie’s growth. “You’re going to be tall.” I said, a statement, not speculation. “You think?” She asked, examining her now teenage-looking body. “Mom’s not that tall.” “I’m positive, you’re dad’s tall, you’ll be tall like him.” I nodded, meeting her eyes in the mirror. “Definitely.” She smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners, just like her grandfather._ The stifled pain that laces each memory is fresh. “I’ll miss you.” She says, letting her hand fall back to her side.

“It really is time for us to go.” I say, reaching out to catch one of her curls, and tuck it behind her ear. “The guard will be here to check your progress in just a few weeks. We can’t take the risk.”

“I know,” She sighs again. “I just want you to stay, you and Ellie are like my sisters.”

“And you are like ours.” I say, finally letting sorrow color my voice. “But it’s safer this way.” I add solemnly.

“For all of us.” Nessie adds, nodding. “I know. It still sucks though.”

“We’ll come visit. And there’s always Skype.” Nessie laughs, and leans in, wrapping her warm arms around my icy body.

“I love you.” She says into my shoulder.

“I love you too.” I whisper into her hair.

There’s a light knock on the door just then, and we both turn, watching as the knob twists and the door swings open.

“Am I interrupting?” Seth asks, in a rough, low voice. The youthful bounce that had onceinfected his words and his gait have dissipated in the past few weeks. As soon as he’d heard the news, it was like a disease.

“You’re never interrupting, Seth.” Renesmee says, brushing away a lone tear that seems to have escaped her eye. She crosses her arms over her chest and starts towards the door, stopping in the hall, just outside. “See you downstairs?” I nod, and she disappears down the hallway.

Seth and I stand in silence for what feels like years, but what must only be seconds. The air between us is heavy, and tense. Seth breaks first.

“You don’t have to do this. You can’t just keep running.”

“I know. But it’s safer for the Cullens if they aren’t associated with me.” I cross my arms. “They’re on thin ice with the Volturi as it is.”

“I still don’t get how you’re putting them in danger.” He mutters.

“Yes, you do. You just don’t want to believe it’s worth us leaving.” I retort.

“Because your power isn’t that big a deal!” He answers, exasperated. I glare at him. “Okay, so what if it is? You really think they’ll tear the Cullens apart for you? Murder them? After the rebellion they sparked to protect Nessie?”

“No, I don’t.” I say. “Because I would join them before any of that happened, and then I would be leaving anyway and you would still be miserable.”

“You don’t have to do this.” He says, resigned, but nearly pleading.

“Yes,” I take a step forward and put my hand on his taught arm “I do. We may have only been here for three years, but the Cullens are family,” I sigh, sliding my hand up his arm and cupping it around his neck. “ _You_ are family. And I won’t put my family in danger.”

“What about your original family? Your _coven_ ,” He almost spits the word. “What about them? What about Ellie, and Victor, and Ron, and Dani, and Rachel, and Marlene, and Richard. What about them? Aren’t they in danger?”

“They haven’t been to war with the Volturi.” I tell him, trying to meet his eye. “And they will let me leave without a fight if I’m discovered.”

“This so ridiculous!” He groans, pulling angrily away from me.

“Whatever happened to the funny Seth, the one who couldn’t go ten minutes without cracking a smile and who could always find the bright side of things? What’d you do with him? I miss him.”

“He’s gone, left weeks ago, thought he’d get a head start on the journey to Alaska.” He grumbles.

“Seth, please.” I sigh, covering my face with my hands. I suddenly feel exhausted, too tired to fight the overwhelming sadness I’ve kept buried inside me these past few weeks. I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to walk out the Cullens’ front door, get in a car, and drive for hours to an even colder, even darker place. A place without Seth, or Nessie, or Bella, or Jake. I don’t.

Seth’s thick arms wrap around my shoulders, pulling me into his chest. “I just don’t want to have to say goodbye to you.” He mumbles into my hair.

“I don’t want you to either.” I say. “But there is no other way.”

“I know.” He sighs. “I know.”

Seth pulls back, presses a kiss into my forehead, and releases me. Turning his back on me, he walks out the door, leaving me alone in Carlisle’s office. I push all my breath our of my lungs in a deep, muscle tensing sigh, and snatch my smooth leather messenger bag from the chair behind me. Swinging the bag over my shoulder, I follow Seth’s path out the door.

☽☾

 

The Cullens’ living room is milling with familiar faces, my friends, my family, come to say goodbye and see us off on our journey. Nessie stands by the front door, greeting Jake who has just arrived back from helping Emmett and Ron load the cars. Leah Clearwater, Seth’s older sister, lounges against the far wall, chattering with Ellie, Embry and Rachel, who is encircled in Victor’s embrace. Carlisle and Richard stand near the piano talking adamantly about god knows what. Just by the banister, Marlene and Esme discuss the renovations we’re planning on the Alaska house. Alice stands with Bella and Edward by the couch, all three completely silent. Rose and Emmett stand with Daniella and Ron just by the back door. Seth is nowhere to be seen in this chaotic mix of werewolf-vampire fraternization.

“Enjoying the view?” Jasper’s quiet voice breaks my reverie. 

I look over my left shoulder to find him standing on the step above me. “I am actually.”

“I don’t think we’ve ever had such a memorable send off. I’m sorry to see you go.”

“I’m sorry I won’t be here to help numb the atmosphere.” I say with a smile.

He steps down next to me. “I’m not just going to miss your ability, Jules. You and your family have become great friends of mine.” He rests his hand on my shoulder. “I will miss your company.”

“I’ll miss you too, Jazz.” Right then Alice appears at my elbow, her face carefully composed.

“You ready?” She asks me. 

“I guess.” Is all I can manage. I’ll miss Alice more than most.

Our send off is a long and tedious process, a lot of tense too short hugs, forced smiles, and way too sincere goodbyes. Some are harder to stand than others. Leah’s scorching embrace. Jake’s almost tearful goodbye. Bella’s hard, emotionless smile, matching identically with Edward’s. I should’t feel offended, or snubbed. I already said my proper farewell to them last night, as well as Alice and my other close friends here. The one’s I’ll miss more. Seth doesn’t turn up, and I try not to take it as an assault. He’s hurting, and I should understand that he doesn’t want to watch me drive off. I should understand, but it feels like a stab to the chest anyway.

After I’ve said my last goodbye, hugged my last friend, I open the door to the back seat of our black Cadillac SUV and slide in next to Ellie, letting the fake smile fall from my face. Ellie says nothing, but bends over and takes out her book, placing it on the seat in-between us. I pull the door shut and lean back in my seat. Ellie and I are both silent. The passenger door opens and shuts, letting the ongoing goodbyes leak through, as Rachel climbs in. Her dark, charcoal black hair falls over her shoulder as she leans across the dashboard, turning the clock from temperature to time. 7:06AM. No one says anything until Victor gets in behind the wheel and starts the car.

“Alright.” That’s all he says. And then the car is moving forward, following Daniella and Ron in Ellie’s blue Audi. We take the Cullen’s drive at a slow crawl until we’re around the first turn and the crowd surrounding us thins. Once we get around the second turn Victor brings the speed up to twenty, and I stare out the window, trying to ignore the still audible sounds of retreating feet.

It’s not until we round the third turn that I notice the too-pale-to-be-bark streak that blurs past my window, within a second it’s visible again, and I know it’s Seth. He runs himself out of the brush and right up next to our car, running along with us. His sandy, golden-brown coat is getting long, and tangles around his paws, but he easily keeps up. His eyes shift, seemingly meeting mine, even through the blacked out windows. He howls, and I press my hand against the glass.

“Goodbye.” I whisper. And we turn onto the highway, leaving my friend, and the only place I’ll ever be able to call home again, on the unpaved road behind us.

 


	2. The Beginning.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julia and the rest of the Villatorro family start their journey to Alaska.

The drive to Denali is lengthy, and it isn’t long before we start to get restless. Rachel turns up the stereo, letting Radiohead encompass the car. I turn, stretching my legs out across the mount between Ellie and I, and cross my ankles. It’s only when I turn my head, taking a routine sweep of the car, that I realize Ellie’s posture.

She sits with her back straight, her shoulders slightly turned towards the window, even though her face is perfectly blank and facing forward. Her left hand twitches, as if fighting to reach out and take the nonexistent hand held out between us. I glance up front and take in Rachel’s position. She leans forward, spine straight, resting her chin on her right hand, glaring out the window. Her left hand hovers over the center console, intertwined with Victor’s.

My eyes find Ellie again, and though her back is still ram-rod straight, the rest of her body is facing forward again, and her face is no longer eerily blank, instead she looks as if she is concentrating incredibly hard on something. And I know she is. Ellie is gifted, like Victor, Rachel and I, but her gift is more like Edward’s, and a bit like Jasper’s. She doesn’t just hear your thoughts when she’s near you, or feel your emotions, she _becomes_ them. She lives your memories, your thoughts, as if she is you, as if they are hers. She can only hear one person at a time, but she feels everyone at once, the threat of invading your mind is always there. She never lets it take over, never sinks into someone’s mind without permission. Sometimes though, she can’t help it. If someone is feeling something deeply, an emotion, one single, piercing thought, it will seep into her anyway. 

Ellie’s right hand clutches her book so tight it puts dents in the cover, her left has fallen to her lap, curled into a tight fist. I reach over and hook my pinky around hers, giving her the best gift I can, silence. She looks over at me, and gives me a grateful smile. “Thank you.” She mouths to me, and I nod.

This is one of the greatest gifts I have acquired over the years, the ability to stop another gift in it’s tracks. I found it in an old friend of mine, Aurelia, a vampire three hundred years older than I. She and her mate were running along the Appalachian mountains in the late 1800’s, where Victor and I collided with them. We ran with them for a few years, two, maybe three, before we went our separate ways. Before we split though, Aurelia taught me how to control her power. See, from a distance, she could only numb a power, dull it down so it wasn’t so potent, but if her skin came in contact with yours, your ability would be silenced completely. It was a useful gift in a house full of mind readers and future seers. And it was definitely helpful to resist Victor’s gift, the intense power of persuasion. Really, that boy could convince a fish it could survive on land.

That was something I never used, Victor’s ability. We didn’t need it as much anymore. It was helpful when we were hoofing it across 18th century Italy though, with no money and no excuse as to why we were never seen in the daylight. No form of payment? No problem, simply convince the clerk we’d already paid. You’ve never seen us before? Sure you have, we were just at the market this morning, I thought I noticed you there, beautiful weather today, wasn’t it?

As if on cue, Victor pulls off the highway and into a rest stop. “Gas break.” He says, sidling us up next to a pump at the far back. The clouds above us are thick with moisture, so we know it’s safe to be seen. Victor hops out first and disappears into the small convenience store attached to the station to pay. The three of us get out and walk around, we don’t really need to stretch our legs, but it’s habit. Somethings are just ingrained in your nature.

“Can we just ditch the car and run the rest of the way?” Rachel moans. “I can’t stand being cooped up this long.”

“I don’t think Ellie can either.” I say with a small smile, she turns her head following my gaze to our youngest “sister” where she walks in circles around a tree not too far away.

“She looks like a child.” My eyes sweep over Rachel’s face, registering the affection that leaks into her voice.

“I guess she does.” I say with a laugh.

Victor exits the store and walks around to the other side of the car, flipping open the hatch at the back, unscrewing the cap and inserting the gas nozzle. Three minutes later, we’re pulling back onto the highway.

Victor’s phone lights up on the dashboard and it’s at his ear in a split second. “Hello?”

“We were just behind you and just caught up to Ron and Dani, where are you guys?” It was the tightness in Richard’s voice that had me nervous.

“We had to pull off for gas, the SUV isn’t as fuel efficient as the Audi or the Coup.” Victor quickly explains. “We’ll catch up to you soon.”

“Ah. Okay.” The relief in Richard’s voice is obvious, even through the phone. 

“Richard, is everything alright?” Victor asks.

“Fine, it was just something that Carlisle said before we left, made me fretful.” The resolution in his tone makes the subject sound closed, so Victor hits “end” and places his phone back on the dash. I can’t control the spark of curiosity that lingers in my mind, I am about to say something when I catch Ellie stiffen out of the corner of my eye. Instead of voicing my suspicions, I reach over and intwine my fingers with hers, silencing the voices. She slumps back into her seat and closes her eyes. I keep my mouth shut and focus, my mind is needed elsewhere.

I spend the rest of the drive with my hand in Ellie’s, using half of my mind to keep up the wall and the other half to sift through memories, recent and ancient. 

_Victor collapses onto the wooden chair by the window and starts to unlace his boots. “Victor” sounds so foreign in these ears, so English. His original name_ Vittorio, _was easier to accept, it sounds like home. We have been Victor and Julia Herring, siblings orphaned by fever, for the past three months here in England. It is easier to live here, to blend in, since it has far more cloudy days than sunny ones, allowing us to walk in the daylight._

_“We should move on soon, find a place in a town outside the city.” Victor says, “Keep quiet for a few years.” His last sentence is like the prick of a needle, barely noticeable, but cutting none the less._

_“Are you suggesting that I purposely draw attention to myself?” I ask him._

_“Befriending a Duchess on the street and accepting her invitation to a ball at the palace?” The tone of his voice is condescending, with an undercurrent of awe. “No, that’s not conspicuous at all.”_

_I sigh and throw myself onto the bed. “It’s not my fault the people here are fond of me.”_

_“Yes, and it wouldn’t surprise me if you were made a lady in two days time, with all of those handsome suitors falling in your wake.” He tosses himself onto the bed next to me and rolls onto his elbows._

_“Yes, those easily expendable suitors.” I say, flashing him a wicked grin that exposes every pearly white tooth. We both roll over laughing._

I pull the band that is digging into the back of my head from my hair, letting the strands fall in layers around my shoulders. I tuck a lock behind my ear and think back to the mid 1920’s, justtwo years after we found Rachel, and three years before we stumbled upon the others.

_“What do you think would happen if I cut it?” Rachel asks, her deep welsh accent coloring her question. She stands in front of the full length gilt mirror in our hotel room, flicking pieces of her hair between her fingers._

_“You mean do I think it would grow back?” I ask. Almost all the Italian in my voice has disappeared, it has been decades since we’ve been back to Florence, I miss it._

_“That is exactly what I mean.” Rachel says, her copper eyes meeting mine in the mirror. “And if it does, how fast? As fast as my finger reattached itself after that altercation with that newborn? Or human speed? Will it grow back at all?”_

_“Isn’t hair just dead skin?” I ask. “Since you aren’t creating anymore, my guess is it would either re attach or simply not grow back.”_

_Rachel pouts, watching the movement in the mirror, and then tosses her hair over her shoulder. “I so want a bob, that cute short hair like the other girls. But not if it isn’t going to grow back.”_

_“We could test the theory.” I say, springing up from where I lay on the bed, flipping through Time Magazine._

_“How do you mean?” She asks, curiously but cautious._

_“Why don’t we trim a lock of your hair, see what happens.” I say, opening the side table drawer and pulling out a small pair of silver scissors._

_“Why don’t we trim a lock of yours?” She asks, nerves lacing her voice._

_“Because I’m not the one who wants a hair cut.” I say, tossing my waterfall of pale gold hair over my shoulder. “I like my hair long.”_

_She sighs. “Fine.” Then her eyes alight again, curiosity winning out over caution. “But take it from under, just incase.”_

_I nod, pushing most of her thick, dark hair over her left shoulder leaving only a single lock from the bottom layer. I wrap the lock around my finger and take the scissors to it. The scissors stop, unable to cut through the taught strands. I try again._

_Noticing my frustration, Rachel speaks. “What’s wrong?” She asks._

_“It won’t cut.” I say, dropping the scissors to the floor. “Your hair is too strong.”_

_She frowns, and ingenuity sparks behind her eyes. “Try this.” She says, snatching the match box off the bureau to our right. She shakes out a match and lights it, handing it to me._

_“Is this a joke?” I ask, watching the fire burn. “Have you ever smelt burnt hair?”_

_“Oh just do it.” She says, the excitement back in her voice. I roll my eyes, pulling the lock of hair taught again and holding the fire to it._

_There is a short sizzling sound and the lock breaks apart in my hand. I shake out the match and hold up the hair to show Rachel._

_She smiles broadly. “What’s happening?” She asks._

_I hold the two inches of hair in my palm and wait. It doesn’t move. I look at the slightly longer strand falling down Rachel’s back. I wait. “Nothing.” I say. “Nothing is happening.”_

_I meet her look of surprise and disappointment in the mirror._

_The door opens behind us and Victor walks in. “Oh! What is that awful smell?” He says._

_Rachel meets my eyes again, and we both burst into giggles._

The drive to Denali takes longer than expected, Victor suspects there might be a leak in the tank, it’s the only reason we should have to refuel so often. After two short calls to Mary and Ron, the rest of our family meets us at our next pit stop. 

I spot the Audi before I spot my Coup, parked in the few parking spots perpendicular to the gas pumps. Ron leans agains the car with his arms around Daniella. They make an odd looking pair. Ron is broad at the shoulders and tall, for both a human and a vampire, standing at just over six foot seven. Tack on his bright orange hair and a particularly boyish face,and he becomes a walking contradiction. Daniella, who is over a foot shorter than him, stands at a more reasonable height of five three, and is particularly thin, with long, almost disproportionate limbs that make her look taller than she is. With pitch black hair that falls just past her shoulders, she looks like a fairy. Of course both of them are breathtakingly gorgeous, they just seem unfit when put next to each other. 

Richard appears next to Victor at the front of our car and the rest of us get out. Ellie immediately heads for Mary, who is just getting out of the Coup, sensing her need for comfort. I join Rachel at the front with the men.

“It shouldn’t need to be refilled this often.” Richard is saying.

“I know,” Victor answers. “But I can’t seem to find the leak and we’re too close to stop now. We might as well just wait ’til we cross the border and get it inspected there.” 

Rachel sighs audibly, looking out at the trees that line the high-way. _Wouldn’t it be nice if we had Rosalie with us?_ She sent to me. That was her gift, she could link people’s minds, sort of like how the wolves communicate, only not every thought is passed through, only the ones actively sent. _Hm._ I send back, not aware that I’ve made the sound out loud.

“What was that, Julia?” Richard asks me.

“Nothing,” I say, sending a quick look at Rachel. Victor looks back and forth between us, an accusation on his lips, but he lets it go and continues sparring with Richard. I reach over and link arms with Rachel, tugging her towards the four others who have congregated at the back of the Coup. “Anything fun happening over here?” I ask, as we near the group.

“Nothing in particular. A little pain, a little denial.” Ron says, he shrugs around Daniella’s head. “The usual.” Daniella throws him a glare and scowls.

“Hey,” Mary says, shooting Ron a look. “We’re all a little raw right now, leave Dani alone.”

“Yes ma’am.” He says, but he turns his head in my direction and rolls his eyes. Mary was only twenty-nine when she was turned in the early 1900’s. She had been a nurse in WWI, a nurse who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

“How’s the carnival car?” Ron asks, referring to the fact that all of our gifted were sequestered into the SUV.

“Fine.” Ellie is the one who answers, but her high soprano voice doesn’t sound very convincing. I remember how much of my focus I’ve been devoting to block out her powers.

“I still don’t like the idea of it.” Mary says. “We should have spit you up, if any of you get caught…”

I’m not the only one out of my family that the Volturi would have an interest in. Rachel’s ability would be convenient on the battlefield, and Victor’s persuasion would be of much use to them when asking people to join their ranks. My ability to mimic only goes so far, my power is often raw and hard to control. Yes, finding me would be like hitting the Jackpot, the nuclear bomb to end the resistance. No one can doubt the possibilities of my ability. But the Volturi have never been ones to settle; they won’t just want the copy, they’ll want the original.

“Why is everyone so on edge about this?” Ron asks. “This isn’t our first relocation, we’ve been moving every three years for the last century. They haven’t found us yet.”

“There is always a risk.” Mary says.

“But-” Ron starts to protest but Daniella cuts him off.

“The Volturi is practically nipping at out heals, Ron.” She says. “They could show up at the Cullen’s any day now, and Aro might decide to make a surprise appearance. If he reads any one of them, we’ll all be exposed.”

This silences him, Daniella is right and we all know it. Aro’s ability to read every thought a person has ever had is a huge risk, we had put our selves in a precarious spot, allying with the Cullens.

“He won’t come.” I say confidently. “Neither Alice nor I have seen him making the trip. So far they only plan to send Felix, Demetri, Renata and possibly Caius.”

“Well, at least there’s that.” Sighs Rachel.

“They aren’t our only threat though.” Ellie says, and I catch her train of thought. She’s right. The Volturi might be the end all be all, but there are other people at play here. Anyone we may run into has the potential to reveal us to the Volturi. It has been known to happen. Upon meeting someone particularly gifted, nomads have been known to send word to the Volturi, to rise in their good graces. It’s an off chance, but Victor’s earlier phone call with Richard comes back to me. Is that what he was worried about? Had Carlisle warned him about the possibility of running into others? Victor could always persuade them to forget me, but it was only about an 80/20 chance the persuasion would work on others of our kind, some were more resistant and we couldn’t take that chance.

“She’s right.” I say, “We need to get back on the road as soon as possible.”

Just then I hear the footfalls of Richard, approaching from a few yards away.

“Victor was right, you definitely have a leak.” He says to the group. “But we’re only about an hour or two away, this last tank should make the trip.”

“Is it much of a risk?” Mary asks, “Should they take the rest on foot?”

“No!” Richard answers with adamancy. He takes a breath, calming himself. “No, they should be fine.”

So I was right, there are nomads. This is not good. I sigh.

“Where does their perimeter end?” I ask.

Richard looks at me incredulously. “What?” He answers.

“The nomads Carlisle warned you about.” I say, “Where does their territory end? Before the Alaskan border? After?”

Richard just stares at me in awe. He hadn’t expected anyone to put the pieces together so easily, or so quickly. But I know the Cullens, and I also know that our only other threat is still safely tucked away on the opposite side of the Atlantic Ocean. I wait for an answer but he doesn’t give me one.I supposed I could just pluck the answer from his head, but I have vowed never to read minds unless absolutely necessary. The silence between us lasts only a second.

“What nomads?” Ellie asks, exasperated. 

“The nomads that are apparently hunting in this territory.” I say. “It’s why Richard has been so adamant about us staying on track with the others. He doesn’t want any accidental exposure.”

“Richard, is that true?” Mary asks, confusion and concern radiating from her.

Richard sighs. “Yes Mary, it’s true.” He runs a hand through his dark brown waves. “Carlisle warned me that a few of Jasper’s previous colleagues might be hunting in this area.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Ron asks, irritated at being kept in the dark.

“I didn’t want to give anyone another reason to worry.” Richard explains. “And Carlisle mentioned that they should have cleared the area by now, he wanted us to stay a few days longer, but the immediate risk of the guard seemed more pertinent.”

Richard is right, any day now four members of the Volturi’s guard will be getting on a plane to Seattle, meeting with the Cullens to check on Renesmee’s progress, if we had been anywhere close when they arrived… well, it wouldn’t be good.

“You made the right decision about leaving,” I say to him. “But you should have at least told _us_ about the potential danger.” I gesture at Ellie, Rachel and I, sending a flick in Victor’s direction. “I would have kept an ear out.”

Richard nods at this, and I know he won’t make the mistake again. Victor comes to collect us then, and once we’ve all settled back into our prospective cars, we pull back onto the road, headed towards our shaky future.

 


	3. A Fresh Start.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the Villatoro family moves into their new home, Julia comes to terms with the reality of her new situation.

Our nearly silent footsteps bounce off the walls and echo through the rooms of our new, and virtually empty house.This is a new place for us, just as Forks had been. We’ve circulated back to previous residences a few times, Victor and I had made our rounds twice before we found Rachel, and then the others. But it’s too soon to go anywhere else, and as stopping with the Cullens has put us right in line with the Volturi, it is time to settle somewhere new.

The coven that is already settled here, the Cullens’ “cousins” have proven their loyalty to the Cullens, and their distrust for the Volturi, which makes them a very unlikely risk to us. They will also be moving on soon, leaving us to take their territory in peace. Edward warned that they were planning to relocate east very soon, within the next year or so, they’d already started making arrangements.

“Well,” Mary says, breaking the serene silence “I guess you’d all like to take a look.” Mary and Daniella are the only two who have seen the house before. They have been taking trips back and forth for the past few months, getting things ready for the move.

We’re all standing in the living room/foyer. Against the left wall is a large oak staircase, matching the hardwood floors. To my right, the room expands into the living room. Straight ahead is a cutout arch, revealing a short hall that seems to lead to the kitchen and dinning room. Ellie takes my arm and tugs me towards the archway, in the opposite direction of the rest of our family who are starting up the stairs. Mary stays in the living room, opening one of the boxes that rests up against the far wall. 

Ellie and I step through the archway and into another wide open room. To our right, a breakfast bar separates the room from a rather large, rather beautiful kitchen. A kitchen that we will never use. The wall in front of us is beige with long, tall windows that look out onto a porch. The porch, facing south, views a large encompass of trees. To our left, built into the north wall, seemingly built under the ascending staircase is a slightly steeper staircase leading to the lower levels. I glance at Ellie and without a word we turn, still linked, and descend the staircase.

The staircase ends in a small room with halls branching off both the western and eastern walls. Again without any communication, we take the right hall. There are two doors here, one on each wall. I break from Ellie and head a little farther down the hall to the door on the left, turning the knob and pushing it open.

The room opens up into a dance studio. Obviously not part of the original structure, the western wall is made up completely of windows. I scan the rest of the room. In the far right corner is a stereo, and a long bar stretches across the eastern wall which is paneled ceiling to floor with mirrors. This studio was built for Daniella, I realize, and I wonder if Mary had rooms built to accommodate everyone’s interests.

I hear Ellie approach behind me but do not turn.

“The other room is a small study,” She says with a smile in her voice. “I think it’s meant for me.” Ellie has a fondness for writing. She’s already been published under false names twice. “I bet you there’s an art studio down here for you, probably a library for Richard, and a music room for Victor. I wouldn’t even be surprised if their’s a shop set up for Ron.” Ellie lets out a light laugh. 

Ellie isn’t the only one with a talent. Victor can write and compose on any instrument known to man, his favorite being the cello. Richard spends most of his free time reading, Rachel loves photography, and Ron has a way of taking a piece of wood and transforming it into a masterpiece. I paint. That’s my thing. I sit at an easel with a canvas and a brush and paint whatever occupies my mind. It’s what keeps me sane and fills most of my nights.

After a little more exploring of the lower level (Ellie was right about the shop and Mary had even included a dark room for Rachel), Ellie and I head up to the second floor. This floor is made up of two bed rooms (one for Mary and Richard and one for Daniella and Ron), a library (just as Ellie predicted) a small sitting room, and two bathrooms which we will rarely ever use.

After investigating the two story library for a bit (it expands down to the first floor), Ellie and I follow the next staircase to the third floor. This floor also has two bedrooms and a bathroom, as well as sound proof room filled with instrument cases, Victor’s music room. The boxes in the second room are labeled “Ellie” so it’s easily assumed that this room was assigned to her.

At the end of the third story hall, to the right of the tall, lean window, is another narrow staircase. This one is only wide enough to ascend single file, and Ellie follows half a step behind me as we climb.There is a door at the top of the stairs that I promptly push open, revealing a room bathed in sunlight. The room is wide and open, the deep gold of the western wall is interrupted by an arch with white trim, leading to a slightly smaller room with just as many round-topped windows.

“W-o-w” Ellie says, stepping farther into the room. She cranes her neck to check out the second room, walking through the arch to one of the wide windows. “You have quite a view.”

“This room is amazing.” I breathe.

“I’m glad you like it.” Mary says from behind me. Ellie and I had been so enamored by the beauty of the room that we hadn’t even heard her coming up the stairs. “I thought you’d like a room with lots of light, for your painting.”

“I love it.” I say to her, wrapping her in a hug. “It’s beautiful.”

“I’m so happy to hear that.” I can hear the smile in her voice, and sure enough when I pull away, a grin is stretched across her elegant face. 

I take in her appearance swiftly. She’s tied her auburn hair up in a ponytail and tied a pale blue bandana over it. She’s removed her black cardigan and scarf to reveal a grey cotton t-shit, and she’s changed into a pair of worn, paint-splattered jeans. They’re her work clothes, and I immediately know that exploration time is over, it’s time to get down to work. A wave of excitement from Ellie tells me she’s realized this too.

“So,” I say, throwing a quick glance over my shoulder at Ellie. “Where do we start?”

☽ ☾

Ellie and I were put to work in the dinning room, bringing in and setting up the furniture. Mary had arranged for the realtor who sold us the house to meet the movers dropping off our furniture yesterday. Most of the furniture had been left out on the lawn in carriers that we had to return within the next week. 

In the past thirty minutes, Ellie and I have brought in our dining room table, all twelve chairs, and two sets of stand-up cabinets that had come with Mary from her human life. Ellie now sits on the floor in front of me as I pass her plate after plate, which she stacks in the bottom cabinet and moves on. In a fraction of a second she is on her feet and I am handing her vases, and decorative sculptures to place in the upper glass cabinets. We have the cabinets filled, the boxes unpacked and flattened, and the waste sorted for recycling in only a few minutes. 

Ellie flits over to the archway that leads to the front room, asking Mary in a low voice which artwork she wants hung up in here.

“The triplet landscape Rachel took in Russia, as well as the twin Picasso’s.” She answers. At that, Ellie disappears from the room returning a moment later with three framed artworks under her left arm, and a box of command hooks in her right hand.

“Here.” She says, tossing me the hooks. I have them attached to the wall in under a second, one on the north wall and two on the east. Ellie sets down the frames, grabbing Rachel’s photo set and hanging it on the north wall. I grab one of the Picasso’s and skip to the east wall, hanging it on the left hook. Ellie is next to me in a fraction of a second, hanging the second Picasso. We both turn and survey the room, making sure nothing’s missing.

“Oh!” I say, grabbing Ellie’s arm and meeting her eyes. “We forgot the side table.”

“On it.” She says, pulling her arm from my grasp and exiting the room. A minute later she comes bounding in, six-foot long mahogany side table in hand. She puts the table down against the north wall, under Rachel’s photos.

I walk past Ellie into the living room and find the box marked “Decor, Miscellaneous.” I carry the box back into the dining room and place it on the long dining room table. I slice the packaging tape open with my nails and pull at the flaps of the box. Digging through a bunch of small sculptures and other random objects, I pull out a few framed photos and a small vase.

“Take this,” I say, handing one of the photos to Ellie. The photo is long and thin, it’s one of Mary and Richard’s many wedding photos, the most recent of course. Mary stands on the left wearing a long, sleeveless silk gown, with flowers in her hair that match her bouquet, Richard stands on the right in a black tuxedo, grasping her hands as he whispers in her ear. Ellie places the photo to the far right end of the narrow side table, as I place another one of the photos. 

The photo I place towards the left is short and wide, a picture of us girls. Carlisle had taken it out by the river behind their house two summers ago. Rosalie stands at one end of the line, her arm around Daniella’s shoulders, Daniella stands between Rose and Rachel, her arms wrapped around both girls’ waists. Rachel rests her hand on Alice’s shoulder, and Alice has both arms wrapped around my waist, Ellie is mirroring her on my other side with Bella ending the line, her arm slung across Ellie’s back. Bella, Alice and I have our heads thrown back in laughter Ellie is caught mid-laugh her eyes meeting the camera, Rachel and Rosalie grin at us, and Daniella looks straight into the lens, immensely amused. It’s one of my favorite pictures.

Ellie places a picture of all of us “kids” next to it. This is an older picture, taken about six years ago, before we met the Cullens. We all sit on a picnic blanket in a park located in northern Albany. Ron is on the far left, his long legs stretched out in front of him, leaning back on his hands. Daniella leans into his shoulder, one of her hands resting on his chest. Ellie sits crosslegged on Daniella’s left, leaning slightly forward and letting her straight, reddish-brown hair fall to either side of her face. Rachel sit’s on Ellie’s other side, knees pulled to her chest, playing with a dandelion. Next in line is Victor, who has one arm around Rachel’s waist, and the other draped over my legs, which have been thrown haphazardly across his lap. I lean back on my hands, letting my hair fall back, pooling on the blanket. Only Ellie and Daniella are looking at the camera. Ron’s gaze is fixed on Daniella, and both Rachel and Victor are laughing.

The last two pictures we place are pictures of our “ancestors.” In reality they’re pictures of our family when they were human. One picture is of Daniella and her little sister, Alina. The two sisters are a contradiction in coloring. Where Daniella has pale eyes and dark hair, her younger sister has golden hair that falls in waves to her shoulders, and her eyes are practically black. Though their coloring is opposite, they have the same features, the same almond eyes and soft nose, the same high cheekbones. Even as a human Daniella is beautiful. Both sisters are wearing long white dresses with lace collars and at staring blankly into the camera, it took a while to take a photo back then, and no one could hold a smile that long. The very last picture is of Mary and her brother. It was taken just before they went off to war, him as a soldier and her as a medic. They stand with their arms around each other, Martin, Mary’s brother, is in full military uniform, Mary wears a white blouse and black skirt, her hair falling past her shoulders in dark waves. They are both standing in front of a car, grinning at the camera. Where Daniella and her sister differ majorly, Martin and Mary could be twins. They share the same pale eyes, dark hair, pale complexion. They have the same chin, and crease between their eyes, they even share the same smile.

Ellie places the small, round glass vase in the middle of the table, surrounded by the photos, and turns around picking up the box and taking it back into the front room. I turn the opposite direction and head into the room Ellie and I had missed upon original exploration. Leading to the room is a narrow corridor, with a powder room through a door to the right. The corridor isn’t too long and soon opens into what Mary has dubbed the family room. The entire west wall is floor to ceiling windows, as is the whole western side of the house, excluding my room. Placed in the middle of the north wall is a large stone fire place, to the left of which Ron and Victor are setting up our flatscreen TV. Rachel is moving an overstuffed blue armchair into place next to our grey suede sofa. To my left, built into the eastern wall are a pair of glass french doors that I immediately realize lead to the first floor of the library. The porch must wrap around the whole house, as glass doors placed in the middle of the western wall open up onto it.

I head through those doors to where Richard has just placed a glass coffee table on the porch. I pick up the table, throwing it over my shoulder, and carry it into the living room. I place it a comfortable distance from the sofa and the chair. Rachel has moved on to setting up the south west corner of the room, after a quick check to make sure she doesn’t need help, I pull open the doors to the library and start putting books on the shelves. After traveling with Richard for almost a century, I know how he likes his books organized and quickly get to work.

Sorting through his thousands of volumes only takes a minute or two and next thing I know, every book on the first floor is shelved. I head up the spiral staircase to the second story and shelve those books too. I can feel Daniella’s presence on this floor and assume she and Mary have finished in the front room. I throw a quick peek into Richard and Mary’s room to find that it is already set up, and wander down the hall. Using Rachel’s borrowed ability, I send a quick message to Daniella. 

_Hey Dani, need any help in there or are you good?_ I send.

_No, I’m fine, but I think Mary could use some help upstairs._ She replies instantly.

I skip up the stairs to help and find Mary putting together the bed the bed in Ellie’s room. Without a word I step in to help her, using my nail as a screwdriver. The bed frame is built in seconds and it only takes a split second more for Mary to toss the mattress into place. As soon as it’s down, we’re in motion again. We have the fitted sheet in place and the pillows dressed in under ten seconds, then the duvet is in place and the pillows thrown into formation. I send a quick message to Ellie to help us in her room and she appears almost instantaneously, even though I’m pretty sure she was down in the basement setting up her writing room. With Ellie’s guidance the three of us have her closet and bureau stocked in minutes, and we head up the the third floor just as Rachel and Victor come up the stairs to finish unpacking their room. 

The next ten minutes are spent finding and setting up my furniture. We set up my bed just across from the archway in the smaller room, there is a window seat on the west wall that I hadn’t noticed the first time I came up here, as well as a large closet the runs parallel to the stairs. We set up my desk, easel, and paint table, as well as a small sofa, low coffee table, and a rocking chair in the larger room, and Ellie helps me unpack my clothes. 

When the furniture is set, my bed made, and my closet stocked, Ellie and Mary leave me to decorate and add the final touches. I start in the big room, throwing decorative pillows on the sofa, and spreading some magazines I’ll probably use later for collage out on the coffee table. I open my zippered canvas shoulder bag and start laying out my paints. I pull out the old mason jar I use to hold my brushes, placing it in the top left corner of my paint table. I place my pallet in the lower middle of the table, fanning out my tubes of paint in an arch around it staring with red on the left and ending with yellow on the right. I gather my brushes in one hand and drop them in the jar, then I take out the big glass beer jug that Rachel bought me decades ago, carrying it through my closet to the small bathroom on the other side. I fill the jug with water and bring it back to the table, placing it in the top right corner.

I then head into the bedroom, we all have beds even though we don’t sleep. It’s usually more comfortable to read in a bed than on a couch, and you can’t have a full on girls night, doing make-up and painting nails on a couch, you definitely need a bed for that. Even three-hundred year-old vampires still need some girl time now and again.

I start with the most tedious and emotional part, hanging pictures. Some of these pictures are repeats of the ones down stairs, but most of them aren’t. They’re all framed, over the years I’ve started collecting frames, and of the seventy some photos I have in these boxes, each frame is unique, just like the photo within it. I choose the wall across from the bed, the wall split by the arch, to become my picture wall, then I start hanging. I start on the left, by the door to my closet, and work over.

The first picture I hang is a picture of Rachel and me back in the 1920’s it was the day before the hair incident and we were on a boat just off the coast of long island. We were in swimwear even though it was 30 degrees out, but no one else was there besides our original trio. The picture is in black and white but my memory is in vivid color. We sit at the helm of the boat, Rachel in a red swimsuit, me in a white one with blue flowers. Rachel has her hair piled up on top of her head and I have mine in braid down my back. Both of us are laughing and looking out at the sea. Victor had taken the photo.

The next picture is from only a few years later, Victor stands between us, his arms around our waists, we’re in a speak easy, dressed to the nines. Both Rachel and I have curled our hair and are holding cigarettes. We really only pretended to smoke, just to blend in.

I hang a more recent picture next, it’s one of me, Nessie and Bella taken last christmas. We’re standing by the Cullens’ christmas tree, all wearing red. Nessie wears a red boatneck sweater dress that brings out the red in her brown curls, Bella wears a red cowl-neck sweater and jeans, and I wear a red v-neck wrap dress. Bella even went as far as to wear a santa hat. We’re posed sorority style, with one knee bent.

The fourth picture I hang is a larger, candid picture of me and Seth. Rachel had taken it last summer and given it to me for my “birthday.” The picture was taken from behind. In the picture we sit on top of a boulder facing the waterfall near the Cullens’. The sun is hitting the water, bouncing the light back at us and washing us almost into silhouettes, but not quite. We’re both dressed casually, I’m in a pale blue tank top and dark wash jeans with my hair pulled back, Seth is in a grey t-shirt and cargo shorts. Our arms cross over each other as we lean back on our hands and my head is tilted slightly to rest on his shoulder. 

A stab of pain rips through my body, starting at my heart and ending in my stomach. I turn back to my boxes and continue hanging the pictures. One of Ellie and me at a fair back in Portland. Daniella, Bella and me on the beach at Isle Esme. Me and a seemingly twelve-year-old Nessie reading on the couch. Me playing video games with Ron and Emmet. Alice, Ellie and me hanging from trees in the woods. A camping trip with Alice, Jasper, Nessie, Jake, Bella and Edward. Me, Ellie, Rachel and Daniella all ready for prom five years ago. Victor and I dressed up at a renaissance faire. Jasper, Edward, Rosalie and me playing soccer in their front yard. Ron giving me a piggy-back ride on the boardwalk. Me and Alice in matching dresses at Nordstrom. Seth and Jake balancing me on their shoulders to fix a crooked painting at the Cullens’. Seth, Nessie and me making cookies. Me, Leah and Seth in a photo booth at the mall. Me, Leah and Seth having dinner with Bella, their mom, and Charlie. Me and Seth laughing on the couch. Me and Seth at the beach in La Push. Me and Seth cliff-jumping. Me and Seth swimming in the river by the Cullens’. Me and Seth. Me and Seth. Me and Seth. 

All of a sudden I can’t breathe. I feel like I’m drowning. I don’t need to breathe, it’s just habit, something my body does automatically, but for a moment it’s like I’ve forgotten how. I have forgotten how to breathe. His name pounds through my head. Seth. Seth. Seth. Seth, my best friend. Seth, my other half. Seth, the werewolf that I might never see again.

_No._ I tell myself. _That’s stupid, of course you’ll see him again. As soon as it’s safe, he’ll come and visit._ But it occurs to me that it might never be safe. 


	4. Friend or Foe.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The family meets the Denali coven for the first time.

Ellie knocks gently on my door a few hours later. I had taken a break from hanging photos and started hanging curtains instead. After about five minutes of that, I had started painting. I wasn’t sure what I was painting, and as Ellie’s knock pulls me from my work, I can finally see the colors of tan skin and the shape of a strong jaw. I tear my eyes away from my almost-portrait and look towards the door.

“Come in.” I say.

Ellie enters my room in a pair of thickly lined black leggings and a dark green v-neck t-shirt. Her auburn hair is pulled back in a neat ponytail. “Come on loser, we’re going hunting.” She says.

I smile at her pop culture reference and stand, stretching my arms above my head out of habit. “Just let me change.” I say, gesturing at my lavender cashmere sweater and designer jeans.

“Sure thing.” Ellie says, turning to leave. Then, over her shoulder, she adds, “We’re meeting on the west porch.”

I slip over to my closet and quickly find a pair of narrow-legged black yoga pants and a black tank top. I pull my hair from it’s neat ponytail and quickly braid it down the back of my head. I kick off my shoes and socks, knowing that going barefoot will give me better traction and therefore a better advantage, and head out the door, taking the steps two at a time and finally just jumping the last set. I’ve been too preoccupied to notice just how thirsty I am, but now that the idea of hunting has been planted, I can’t seem to shake the burning in my throat.

My family is waiting for me on the porch, just as Ellie said they would. I glide toward them, stopping gracefully at Daniella’s side. We split into three hunting groups, heading in different directions but not travelling far. As a precaution, we split up our gifted. Victor will go with Mary. Rachel will go with Daniella and Ellie. I’m hunting with Ron and Richard. I’m not all that disappointed with my hunting buddies. Ron is actually pretty fun to hunt with, and Richard is a good team player.

Victor and Mary head north, while Rachel’s group heads east and we go south. As soon as we’re under the cover of trees, we start running. There are very few things as satisfying as running flat out as fast at you can and never having to stop to catch your breath. Ron and I are making a game out of who can jump the farthest when Richard calls us to order. We’re about fifty miles out, it’s time eat.

We all stand stock still, turning on all our senses. Rachel has us all mentally linked and I can tell that her group has just stopped too. I close my eyes and just listen. That’s when I hear it, a faint lapping noise to the west. I take off running, covering the distance in mere seconds, and leap at my target, taking down a large buck. He’s old, nearing the end of his life anyway. That’s how I usually prefer them, I don’t like the idea of cutting what could be a long life short. 

As I drain the blood from the animal’s caracas, I can hear the sounds of the others taking down their prey. The sour taste of the herbivore’s blood lingers in my mouth and does little to quench the burning in my throat. I stand quickly, closing my eyes and listening past my fellow hunters. I’ve just taken down my third deer when I feel it, an unfamiliar mind about two miles away, and they know we’re here. 

The burning in my throat dissipates. I straighten out of my hunting crouch, immediately sending a warning out to my family.

_We’ve got company._

In a split second, Ron and Richard are at my side, a million questions burning through my link, but I can only focus on one at a time and the only message I hear comes from both Rachel and Mary in tandem. _We’re coming._ I don’t know if they’ll get here in time, and although this could easily be one from the Denali coven the Cullens had told us about, it could just as easily be someone else, a non-friendly.

Just as I start to hear the approach of Mary and Victor, another mind joins my radar and another. Their voices are new to me and slightly muffled, but I can tell they’re getting closer. Victor places a hand on my shoulder. _How many?_ He asks.

I try to concentrate on separating the different voices, counting them as I go. _Four. No, five I think._ Five vampires. Wasn’t that how many were in the Denali coven? 

Rachel’s group comes running towards us, stopping only a few inches away. Ellie looks scared, not for herself, but for me. It’s the same look she had when we first ran into the Cullens. Rachel reaches her hand out to Victor who automatically takes it, intertwining their fingers. That’s when we start moving, getting into position. Ron remains slightly in front of me and to my right, Richard to my left. Victor and Rachel take up my back flank, both to protect me and themselves. Ellie and Daniella fill in the holes on either side of me, and Mary comes to stand by Richard. _Here we go._ Ron sends.

The group comes into view then, stopping as soon as they are within our sight line. They are in a flanking position too, a small blonde in the front, flanked on either side by two men, who are then in turn flanked by two women. I was right, five vampires. Two of the vampires have olive-toned skin beneath the pallor of our kind, the other two women are blonde and the second man has shaggy brown hair. I can’t remember the Cullens ever really describing the Denali’s. Richard speaks first.

“Are you the coven that retains a permanent residence here?” He asks.

“Yes,” says the small blonde in front. Her voice higher than I expected. “And you are…?”

The Denali’s should have been expecting us, so this is just them making sure we are truth tellers, I can read it in the blonde’s mind. 

“We’re friends of the Cullens’.” Richard says, cooly. “We’ve come to seek a semi-permanent lifestyle here, for the time being.”

The blonde’s posture immediately loosens. “Ah yes,” She gives us a genuinely warm smile. “We’ve been expecting you.”

“I hoped you would be.” Richard says back, his smile equally friendly. With the kind exchanges made, everyone in both parties seems to relax. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Ellie’s shoulders drop in relief.

“You have talented with you.” The olive-toned man interrupts. Eleazar. This must be Eleazar. Edward had warned us about him. “Many talented.”

Everyone in my group stiffens in unison. “Yes,” Richard says carefully. “Yes, we do.”

“The subject seems to make you uncomfortable.” The second blonde says. She must be Kate. The names of the coven in front of me come tumbling back to my mind and I quickly name the rest. The olive-toned woman is Carmen, the head blonde Tanya, and the shaggy brunette Garret. Putting names to the faces suddenly makes them seem less threatening.

_It’s alright. They won’t tell. They're safe._ I send to my family. They all throw quick glances at me, startled by my certainty. This draws the other coven’s attention to me.

“That would be my fault.” I say evenly. “We’re trying to keep me as far away from the Volturi as possible. That’s why we left the Cullens’. The guard’s visit was too much of a risk.”

“That’s right,” Speaks Carmen. “They are expected to come check on Nessie soon. How is she?” Love colors here voice as she speaks Nessie’s name.

“She’s doing very well.” Richard answers. “Very tall.”

“I wish I could see her, we should visit before we leave.” Carmen directs this to the others in her family.

“What can you do?” Kate asks, not letting the subject drop. “What is so powerful that it even outshines Bella’s shield and Edward’s hearing?”

“The ability to copy both.” Eleazar answers, slightly breathless, seeming to have finally gotten a clear read on me. “That is your ability, isn’t it?”

I nod slowly. “Yes. I can mimic any power I come in contact with, for a short period of time anyway.” I stop, making sure my words are right before moving on. “The longer I am around an ability, the more easily I can control it, and the more permanent the ability becomes.”

“How long?” Eleazar asks, taking a step closer with intrigue. “How long before the talent becomes permanent?”

“Depends on the talent.” I say with a shrug. “Could be a month, could be a year.” I pause and think for a moment. “It’s never taken me more than a year though.”

“Incredible.” Eleazar breaths.

“Impossible.” Kate retorts.

I can’t help but let a small smile play across my lips as I hold out my hand and taste the crackle of her ability on the tip of my tongue. “Wanna know how your talent feels?”

☽ ☾

After knocking Kate flat on her back, the members of the Denali coven are intrigued enough to come back to our place. Since our family is quick and efficient when it comes to setting up a home, we sit in our fully furnished, fully decorated living room. Rachel, Ron and Victor have left us, gone out to finish their hunt. We all need to be in perfect control for tomorrow, and not just us “kids” either.

Kate and Tanya sit on our grey suede sofa, whispering back and forth. I don’t pay close attention to their conversation, as I am being bombarded with question after question from Eleazar, who sits in one of our blue chairs, Carmen perched on the arm. He’s been interrogating me about my ability for the past hour. I don’t worry, I know it’s only burning curiosity that fuels his questioning. Carmen looks amused by his sudden interest, combing her fingers through his slightly-mussed black hair.

“How long do your gifts normally last?” Eleazar asks.

“Depends, if the gift is easily mastered, it will usually stay with me forever, if it’s difficult to master and I’m not constantly exposed to it, it will fade from my control.” I answer.

“And how much control do you have on it?” He inquires.

“However much control the originally talented has.” I say “I can’t copy a power and immediately know how to use it to its full capacity, I can only do that if the originally talented has already mastered their ability.”

“So the Cullens?” The curiosity in his voice is almost humorous.

“Edward’s gift was easy to acquire, as I’ve experienced similar abilities before.” I say throwing a look at Ellie. He seems to catch my glance and looks over at Ellie too, his mind whirling. “Bella’s and Alice’s were harder because I’ve never experienced anything like either of them.”

“But you can mimic both of their abilities to their full extent?” He asks, awe replacing the full out curiosity in his voice.

“Yes.” I say, “Because both Alice and Bella have been exercising their powers to their full extent, I can mimic both to their full extent.”

“Incredible.” His voice is just a whisper, which is how I notice that the background chatter between the sisters has ceased.

After a moment of awed silence, Kate speaks up. “So you can shield and attack?” She asks. I nod. “Can you do them both at the same time? Can you do any two at the same time? More than two?”

I think carefully about how to answer. “Yes,” I say slowly. “I can use more than one at once.” Her mouth open’s to ask another question, but I fill the silence before she can. “It depends on how well I know the ability. Right now I’m using an ability I picked up a century ago to numb the severity of Ellie’s gift, as well as using Jasper’s ability to read your reactions to what I’m telling you. I’m even binding myself psychically to the others out hunting.”

Garret is staring at me from where he sits on the floor, his jaw hanging slightly open. Tanya’s eyes go wide with surprise, and both Carmen and Eleazar look completely stunned. Kate is the only one of our guests to hold her composure. 

“How many?” She asks. “How many abilities do you have in your… arsenal?”

I meet her gaze levelly, she’s trying to put on a braver face than her family but even she is starting to understand what a huge asset this could be to our enemies. “Twenty-one.” I say flatly.

Garret is on his feet in a flash, his eyes wide with both disbelief and awe. Carmen gasps, the sisters freeze, and Eleazar’s head whips around, staring at me. “What?” He gasps. “Twenty-one? You have encountered twenty-one talented in your lifetime?”

“Those are just the ones that stuck, I’ve encountered over forty gifted in my lifetime.” I say, unable to control my smile. They all just continue to stare. “Although, in my defense, it has been a very long lifetime.”

“Yes,” Eleazar mutters. “A very long lifetime indeed.”


	5. Is There Anything Worse Than High School.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julia battles with her incredible homesickness as she and the rest of her family tackle their first day at their new school.

Our guests leave just after sunrise with twice as many questions as they came with. Kate and Garret go out the back with the intent to finish their interrupted hunting trip, while Eleazar, Carmen and Tanya head back to their home. Mary offers them her car, but they kindly decline, preferring to run. Richard and Mary walk them out while the rest of us head upstairs to get ready for school. Today is our first day.

You’d think that the anxiety of starting a new school would ebb after a few decades, but it doesn’t. You still spend twice as long as you need to, staring at yourself in the mirror trying to figure out what to wear. At least our money won’t make us pariahs here, most everyone else attending The Carson School has massive amounts of money. It’s ridiculously expensive and incredibly advanced, why they located it in northern Alaska? I have no clue, but it makes our lives a little easier. With our expensive cars and designer clothes, it was hard for us to stay inconspicuous in Forks. But here, after the initial shock, we should blend in just fine.

I stand in my closet for almost an entire minute trying to figure out what to wear. Should I go full out, or keep it simple? You only get one first impression, and you should make it count. I pull a lavender and ivory lace camisole from the rack and pair it with violet wrap shirt to wear with my citizen jeans, deciding to go casual, but expensive. I lace up my deep brown knee-high Born boots and exit into my room. 

I walk over to the long thin mirror in the corner of my bedroom and examine myself. Later on in the year, my family and I will try our best not to draw attention, which means no make-up and nothing too fancy clothing wise, but since we’ll be noticed today whether we try to be or not, I slide a brown eye pencil along my waterline and dab on some mascara. Mascara always makes my eyes look enormous, I wish they’d had it while I was still human.

After examining myself in the mirror for another second or two, I decide I might as well wear my hair down. So I pull out the elastic that holds it up in a ponytail and tilt my head slightly to the right so that a part falls cleanly down the left side. With quick and nimble fingers I weave a tiny braid along the line of my part, curving it around my right ear, letting it fall lose overtop the rest of my hair and the securing it with a tiny blonde elastic. 

Throwing one last glance over my shoulder at my reflection, I grab my messenger bag and head downstairs. When I get to the foyer, Victor and Dani are waiting. Victor has already donned a dark grey peacoat and black knit cap, and Dani is tying on a white cashmere scarf. Part of acting human is dressing for the weather. I grab my cream colored trench coat from the front closet as well as a charcoal grey hat with matching gloves and scarf. I wrap the scarf around my neck and slide the cap over my hair, careful not to disturb the braid. 

“God I love those jeans on you.” Dani says to me. “I’m so glad Alice made you buy them.”

“They were such a waste of money though.” I say as I pull on my coat, buttoning it up and then quickly tying the belt. “I mean, who spends two hundred dollars on jeans?”

“What else are we going to spend our ever growing fortune on?” She asks me.

“Charity?” I say.

“Medical research?” Victor chimes in.

“Our money could cure the common cold.” I joke, slipping on the gloves.

“Or end world hunger.” Victor agrees.

“Honey,” Daniella starts, dabbing at her lip with pale pink lipgloss.“You could buy every pair of designer jeans in existence and we would still have enough money to feed all those starving children in Africa and end the world’s sniffling. In fact, we’d probably have enough left over to cure cancer.”

“And mental illness.” Rachel adds, coming down the stairs.

“Plus we could totally put an end to global warming.” Ellie chimes in, following close behind her.

I give them both a smile and quick examination. Rachel has her inky black waves pulled into a perfect ponytail high on the back of her head. She’s chosen black jeans, chocolate ankle boots, and the forest green sweater that I got her for Christmas last year, the one with the pale lace trim. Ellie wears her hair down, as she usually does, with the front held back by a barrette. She wears a long-sleeved navy blue dress over her black fleece-lined leggings, a grey and blue paisley scarf draped gracefully around her neck and her favorite combat boots clomp heavily on the wooden stairs. I see she too has opted for the “If they’re gonna stare anyway” attitude because she is also wearing makeup.

Dani shakes her head, sliding the lipgloss into the pocket of her jeans. She looks around at the assembled lot of us, Victor and I ready to go and waiting by the door, Rach and Ellie pulling on coats and hats near the closet. “Wears Ron?” She finally asks. “We need to leave soon or we’re going to be late.”

“Right here.” He answers, ducking his head as he comes through the arch leading to the rest of the first floor. “I was just grabbing a few books from the library, you know, so I actually have something productive to do during AP Literature.” You wouldn’t know it from looking at him, but Ron is a total nerd. He’s the kind of person who reads medical journals and literary magazines for fun.

“Let’s get a move on then.” Victor says, taking out the keys to the Cadillac (Tanya had kindly helped him find the leak last night) and turning towards the door. “You know they’re going to keep us in the office for at least fifteen minutes before they let us go.”

“Sure, sure.” Ron nods, hiking his backpack higher on his shoulder. “Let’s go.”

We all turn in unison and start towards the door then stop as Mary’s voice comes down the stairs. 

“Wait, wait!” She calls, then she herself is coming down the stairs. Richard follows, but stops, lingering on the last step. Mary whirls around us, giving us each a hug before stepping back and giving us all a once over. “You guys have everything? Phone, books, money for lunch and gas?”

Dani rolls her eyes but gives Mary a smile as she says. “Yes, mom.”

“Marlene, honey, this isn’t their first rodeo, they’ll be fine.” Richard says from his spot on the stairs. He looks away from Mary and turns his gaze on us. “Have a good day at school kids.” He adds with a wink, and then suddenly, we’re off.

☽ ☾

The Carson School campus is made up of a few rather old looking brick buildings and a few newer looking ones. We pull into a spot in front of the administration building with the word “temporary” on a sign above it, and we all pile out. Once we’re on the sidewalk we hesitate for a short moment, all of us looking up at the building. It’s pretty, there are marble steps leading up to the front door and four huge pillars holding up a brick awning that reads “The Carson School” and under that “Secondary School Administration.”

“Let’s just get this over with.” Dani mutters. She pulls at the strap of her bag and starts forward. We all follow.

The temperature change when we open the front doors is immediate and intense. From the cool air outside to the almost stifling heat in the foyer, it would be jarring if we were human. But we’re not, so we adjust in a fraction of a second.

Victor takes the lead and walks up to a small desk with an equally small woman behind it. She hasn’t noticed us yet as she seems to be scribbling on a notepad. Victor puts his hand lightly on the desk and clears his throat. “Excuse me?” The woman looks up, her eyes finding Victor’s face and locking onto his eyes. Her eyes go wide, and a flush bleeds over her cheeks.

It takes her a minute to find her voice. “Um, yes? How may I help you?” Her voice is high and slightly shaky.

“We’re the Villatorros, the students starting today?” He answers in a low, even voice. I know he’s trying to keep as much music out of his voice as possible, so that this will go more smoothly, faster. 

The woman looks confused. “We?” She asks.

Maybe I should have been the one to do the talking because she just keeps staring at Victor like he’s a god. The god lifts his hand to gesture in our direction, and the woman tears her eyes away from him and reluctantly looks at us. She sucks in a breath.

“R-right. The uh, Villatorros.” She blinks and immediately looks down at her desk. She shuffles some papers and then looks at her computer screen, recognition drawing over her face. “Oh, you’re to head upstairs,” She says, reading this off the screen. “Office 215, where they’ll get you set up with your schedules and student IDs.” She looks back up at us and her eyes go glassy. “Here are your, um, orientation packets.” She hands Victor a stack of manila envelopes.

He smiles kindly at her. “Thank you.”

We head up the stairs to the left, single file, and find office 215 just a little down the hall. The door is open and inside looks just like any administrative waiting room, with a long white counter, chairs lined up against the wall, pale blue walls and white carpet. Victor steps towards the counter and the two women behind them. “Let me.” I murmur, not nearly loud enough for the humans to hear. He gives me a small nod.

I walk swiftly, but not inhumanly, up to the counter. “Excuse me.” I say in a soft voice.

A young woman, in her mid-twenties probably, looks up from her desk just behind the counter. She’s quite pretty actually, with a round face and golden curls that fall over her shoulders. She looks surprised, then a little awed, and finally she composes herself. “Yes? What can I do for you?”

“My siblings and I were told to come here to receive our schedules and IDs.” I say gently. “We’re the Villatorros.”

“Ah, yes. We’ve been expecting you.” She stands up and glances over at the rest of my family, again hit with awe, but snaps back to attention in moments. “We’ll start with the IDs?”

“Sure.” I answer, and she nods. 

“Follow me and I’ll take your pictures.” She says, coming around the counter and through a door on our left. 

The room on the other side of the door is small. It’s painted the same color blue as the office and has the same white carpet. There are hooks lining one of the walls holding coats and various winter accessories. Against the far wall are another door and a white pull down screen. A digital camera on a tripod sits in the middle of the floor where it hooks up to a laptop. 

“If you could remove your coats and hats please.” The woman says, stepping behind the camera. She turns to us. “I’ll call your name and then take your picture, after that I’ll need you to okay the picture and the information on the screen, then sign here.” She gestures to a small tablet with a stylus. “Sound good?”

We all nod and begin to remove our various accoutrements, stuffing hats and gloves into jacket pockets and then hanging them on vacant hooks.

“Um, Eleanor?” The woman calls, looking up from the laptop screen.

Ellie steps forward and stands in front of the camera, clasping her hands together. “Smile or no smile?” She asks.

“You can if you want to.” The woman replies.

Ellie gives a small, toothless smile, and the camera goes off. She blinks and steps around the camera, careful not to get too close to the woman as she examines the screen and signs that the information is correct.

I go next, then Rachel and Victor. She’s calling us alphabetically by year. Since Ellie, Rachel, Victor and I are starting out as juniors, we were called first. Daniella and Ron are starting as seniors, so they go last. When the woman finally gets to Ron she has to remove the camera from the tripod and hold the camera over her head to get his picture and we all laugh a little.

The woman tells us that the IDs will take a minute to print so we should head back to the office and she’ll give us our schedules. We follow her, pulling back on our overcoats as we do.

“I have your schedules here.” She says, picking up a stack of small green and white papers. “If you have any questions, or there is anything you want to change, please let me know I will do my best to accommodate you.” She quickly hands out the schedules.

I look down at mine.

NAME: Julia Villatorro GRADUATING CLASS: 2017

HOMEROOM: 313 Branson Hall - Clancy, Wesley

HOUR SUBJECT LOCATION INSTRUCTOR

1 U-Chemistry II 114 Oakley Hall Maynard, Dennis

2 AP Lang. and Comp. 236 Wallace Hall Kristof, Melanie

3 Physical Activity Gymnasium 4 Various

4 U-German IV 103 Anderson Bldg. Jackson, Anne PhD.

5 Lunch Cafeteria B N/A

6 AP Calc. B/C 216 Oakley Hall Barret, Kevin PhD.

7 U-Art II G15 Anderson Bldg. Rinaldi, Lisa

There are six numbered signature slots at the bottom of the paper, one for each instructor to sign at the beginning of each class.

Ellie appears in front of me. “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.” She says with a smirk.

I laugh and exchange my schedule for her’s. Half of our schedule is the same with the exception of fourth, sixth and seventh period. Ellie has opted to take Latin instead of German, Statistics instead of Calculus and Creative Writing in place of Art. The Latin and Writing I had expected, but not the Statistics. Ellie loves math, and Calc is her favorite.

“No Calc?” I ask.

She smiles and shakes her head. “Thought I’d try something different this time around.”

“I wonder why…” I smile and she laughs, rolling her eyes.

After a short exchange with the rest of my family, I find that we all have been placed in the same lunch slot, which is awfully convenient. And kind, it occurs to me that whoever planned our schedules may have done this on purpose, so that as the new kids with a strange family history, starting school in the middle of the semester, we would at the very least still have each other.

☽ ☾

Victor, Rachel, Ellie and I are the first ones to arrive at our homeroom. As Dani and Ron are seniors, their homeroom is up on the fourth floor. Mr. Clancy does a double take as we walk in. Victor walks up to him and introduces us, while Rach, Ellie and I head to the back of the room. 313 Branson Hall seems to be a biology lab, as there are lab counters with stools, sinks, and gas spigots on either side of the room. 

Rachel unbuttons her coat and hops up onto a stool at the counter in the far back corner of the room. She sighs, running her fingers over her face and leaning her elbows onto the table. “I am so not ready for this.”

Ellie and I grab stools across from her, our backs to the front of the room. Rachel is the only one of the four of us who only has lunch and one other class in common with the rest. She does have the same English class as Daniella and Ron, but other than that the only class she shares with any of us is German and that’s only with Victor and me. 

“Hey, it’s not like you’ll be completely incommunicado.” I say, tapping my temple as I loosen my scarf.

“I know.” She growls, it’s a playful growl though, so I know she’s okay.

Victor joins us then and hands us each a small card. “Online student IDs and logins.” He explains. “We each get a student email account and online access to grade reports and assignments.” We all nod, and he slides into the stool next to Rachel. 

It’s only a few minutes before other students begin to arrive. Two girls enter behind me, chattering on about homecoming and their plans for fall break, but their chatter ceases abruptly only a moment after they pass through the door. I don’t need to turn around to know where their gaze has landed. 

I look up from the table and watch Victor, who is staring right back at them. I sigh and roll my eyes just as Ellie sings quietly under her breath “ _The firsts stare is the deepest._ ” And I can’t help it, I laugh. 

There’s a gasp from one of the girls as my laugh echoes back to them, but I don’t stop. Rachel throws me an amused smile and shakes her head. “You know El, you aren’t nearly as funny as you think you are.”

“I don’t know,” I reply. “I thought that was pretty funny.”

“Yeah Rach, stop being such a buzz kill. Just because your schedule sucks, doesn’t mean you get to take it out on the rest of us.” Ellie throws back with a teasing smile.

“Don’t even joke, my schedule _does_ suck.” Rachel says, leaning her chin in her hand.

“You could have asked to have it changed.” Victor replies, rubbing her back.

“Ugh, I know okay?” She rolls her eyes and sighs again. “It’s whatever, I’ll just deal with it.”

“You know,” Ellie begins, quiet enough for only us to hear, “I think you’re the only vampire I have ever met who suffers from social anxiety.”

We all break out laughing, even Rachel. “I am not.” She protests. “Look at Bella.”

“Bella’s just awkward.” I say to her, as I hear footsteps approaching. “You’re just downright pathetic.”

“Hey!” She laughs, reaching across the counter to swat my arm.

A throat clears just behind me and we all turn to find a girl standing only a few feet away.

“Um, I’m sorry to interrupt.” She begins, her voice wavering slightly. She’s pretty, kind of short and wispy, with dirty blond hair that falls to her shoulders and big grey eyes. “My name’s Sarah, I’m junior class VP. I just thought I’d introduce myself?”

“It’s nice to meet you, Sarah.” Victor says to her, flashing her a smile. She gulps visibly. “I’m Victor, and these are my sisters, Rachel, Ellie and Julia.” Sarah follows his hand as he gestures to each of us, her shoulders stiff.

“It’s a pleasure.” She says, and I think she genuinely means it. “If you, um, have any questions about school activities, or just need help finding your way around just, uh, let me know. Okay?” To my immense surprise, she actually directs this to all of us, not just Victor. I decide that I like this girl. We all nod, and Ellie murmurs a “thanks” then Sarah turns on her heal and walks away from us.

“Oh, my _god._ ” Her friend whispers behind us. “He is _gorgeous._ ” 

“They’re all gorgeous.” Sarah whispers back, matter-of-factly.

Homeroom passes quickly, and although a few other students come up to introduce themselves, Mr. Clancy doesn’t make us introduce ourselves to the class. Neither does Mr. Maynard, Ellie and my Chemistry professor. Since Carson is an advanced preparatory school, they have professors from the local private university come teach college-level classes.

Professor Maynard seems to be a quiet, no-nonsense type, as he hands Ellie and I each a textbook and sends us to the lab table in the far back corner. Ellie and I chatter back and forth through the link I create with Rachel’s talent, ignoring the glances and whispers of our classmates around us. Before we know it, the bell is ringing, signalling the end of first period.

I pull the map we all got in our orientation packets out of my bag and quickly locate Wallace Hall, which is apparently just across the quad. I show Ellie and she nods. Just as I’m slipping the map and my new textbook into my bag, a gangly boy from one table over comes up to introduce himself. He’s tall, with beautiful red-brown skin and shaggy black hair, and suddenly, I’m seeing Seth Clearwater. I suck in a breath and blink furiously. This is not Seth. This is a stranger. This is not Seth.

The drowning feeling from the night before comes back to me, and I can feel my throat closing. My stomach clenches as I repeat to myself _this is not Seth, this is not Seth, this is not Seth._ But this mantra is just making the aching worse. I can’t breathe, I can’t move, all I can do is watch this not Seth approach.

_“Jules!”_ Ellie hisses under her breath, and I realize I’ve let my focus drop. Not only has our mental link dissipated, but the lock I was keeping on Ellie’s gift has been loosened and she is now frozen too, looking in the direction of the boy who is not Seth. I take a deep breath, pushing the feeling to the back of my brain, and grabbing Ellie’s tightly clutched fist. Her posture relaxes and she looks over at me. _Are you okay?_ She sends through our newly connected bond.

_Fine._ I send back, just as the boy reaches our table. 

“Hey,” Not Seth says, and we both turn to him. “I’m Adam, you must be new, I don’t think I’ve seen you around.”

I fight the urge to roll my eyes. _No, we’re not new, we were just invisible for the past two and half years._ Ellie sends. It takes all my self-control not to laugh. 

“Yes, we’re new. Just started today.” I say.

“Cool, so do you guys have, like, names?” He gives us an award-winning smile and I wonder if he hits this hard on all the new female students, or just the radiantly attractive vampiric ones.

_No, we don’t, the invisible don’t get named._ I purse my lips and elbow Ellie as hard as I can in the stomach. “I’m Julia, this is my sister, Ellie.”

“Nice,” Adam slides his hands into his pockets. “So, where you guys headed?”

“AP Lang.” I say, getting up. “Wallace Hall.”

“Huh, so you guys are like, serious brains huh?” Adam asks.

“Aren’t we all?” I answer, grinning and batting my eyelashes. 

His face goes blank for a second, mesmerized. “Uh, I guess. But I suck at lit, I’m just good with science.”

“Right.” I say.

Adam regains some of his composure as he says, “You guys know where you’re going? Because I can show you, Wallace is just—“

“We know where it is.” Ellie says shortly, then she grabs my arm and drags me out of the room. “God, that guy was an idiot.” She says once we’re out in the hall.

“Yup.” I answer.

“Why did you keep conversing with him then?” She hisses.

“I was just trying to be friendly, first impressions and all that.”

“Yeah well, you made a killer first impression on half the girls in the class just then.” Ellie snaps. “And I mean _murderous_.”

“Ellie, those girls already hated us and you know it.”

“Not the point.” She says. “We’re supposed to fly under the radar.” We’re outside now, and neither of us has bothered to put back on our coats even though it’s freezing to humans, we’re catching attention. 

“It’s the first day,” I sat as we cut across the quad at a speed that could barely be accepted as human. “People are going to stare anyway.”

“Doesn’t mean you get to flirt with them.” Wallace Hall appears in front of us and we step inside, taking the steps two at a time.

“Oh my _god,_ El. It is _not_ that big a deal.” I sigh. “This isn’t the reason you’re pissed at me and you know it.” She’s pissed because I let my guard down, because I lost it and because I won’t talk to her about it. I talk to her about everything.

We’ve just reached our floor when she says, “What happened back there? I mean, I know you miss Seth but—“

“I can’t talk about this now.” I tell her, pushing through the doors and into the third-floor corridor. “Please, El. Just not now.” She must see the pain in my eyes because she drops the subject immediately. 

Victor is waiting for us outside of our classroom and we all enter together. Our instructor, Ms. Kristof _does_ make us stand in front of the class and introduce ourselves, which we do in bored— but not cold— voices before heading to our seats. Instead of trying to keep up a conversation with my siblings, I zone out completely, turning my attention to the future.

Alice’s gift is one of the best gifts I’ve acquired in my lifetime, not only does it give my family peace of mind, knowing where the Volturi are, what they’re doing, but it also gives us an idea of whether or not the people we befriend can be trusted. I watch Kate and Garret discussing my gift in their living room, Eleazar pacing as he contemplates and contemplates. But before I know it, my mind isn’t in Alaska anymore, it’s farther south, in Washington. Bella and Edward are walking hand and hand down the path to their cottage, where two very blurry, impossible to focus on figures sit in their garden. Nessie and Jake. I can hear their laughter as it bounces back to Bella and Edward.

I watch the scene unfold, as Nessie hugs her mom, making the two of them one large unfocused spot for a moment before they break away and Bella comes back. It’s not raining, which is a miracle this time of year in Forks, and I wonder just when it will start. This afternoon? Tomorrow morning? I haven’t quite gotten my finger on nailing perfect dates yet. Alice was trying to teach me which clues to look for, but I haven't really gotten the hang of it.

I follow Bella and Edward’s future for a little while, seeing a hunting trip in the mountains and trip to visit Charlie, then I switch to following Alice. I see her and Jasper heading to Seattle to meet with Peter and Charlotte, her getting ready for a night out with Rosalie. Then an interesting thing happens, I see her, seeing me, seeing her. It’s like all of a sudden I can feel her there, feel her here, with me, but not with me. It’s so startling I drop the connection. 

I have the urge to pull out my phone and text Alice under my desk, but I stop myself. It’s not important now, and I can feel a pair of eyes watching me from across the room. So instead of texting Alice, I turn my attention to Ms. Kristof and pretend that I didn’t know the Brontë sisters personally.

☽ ☾

Third period goes fast. Here at Carson, you get to choose which sport you want as your daily physical activity. Ellie chooses swimming, Victor and I opt for track. We both love running, even if we have to do it at a human speed.

Since we haven’t purchased our gym uniforms yet, we don’t participate, instead, we briefly meet with the instructors for our chosen activity and are released early. Since Carson is a preparatory school, but also a boarding school, there are various places you can go to just hang out and kill time, so we find a game room in the same building as U-German and play foosball — trying not to break the table — until the bell rings.

Rachel finds us in the game room and we head to German together. Ellie’s in a better mood, having slain both Victor and me at foosball, and links her arm with mine as we walk down the hall. 

Frau Jackson is quite excited to have such advanced students in her class, I can tell. She too makes us introduce ourselves, and of course, we do it in perfect German. After our introductions, Frau Jackson dives right in and we take our seats at a round table off to the side of the room, by the windows. The clouds that clutter the sky have darkened, and although I know better, I can’t help but think that it looks like rain.


End file.
